Competitive enhancement fund being considered
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The Finance Ministry has submitted an initial study on the proposed national competitiveness enhancement fund to Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.
Somchai Sujjapongse, the ministry’s permanent secretary, said Somkid suggested the ministry study the guidelines of the national innovation fund that the Science and Technology Ministry had considered setting up in terms of applying to the competitiveness fund.
The objective of the competitiveness fund would be to attract “industries of the future” to invest and help the country get out of its middle-income trap.
The fund has to provide more incentives than the general incentives that the Board of Investment offers. Six industries are identified as the targets, including robotics, bio-energy, and logistics.
Salary hikes to be reduced
Thai companies are expected to slightly reduce their annual salary increases next year, but will marginally raise their bonus payments, according to a survey by management consulting firm Hay Group.
The overall salary increase in 2016 is forecasted at 5.8 per cent, up slightly from 5.8 per cent this year.
The power sector leads both the salary and bonus-payment forecasts for 2016. The top three industries that are projected to have the highest pay rises are power (6.6 per cent, telecom (6.5 per cent), and oil and gas (6 per cent).
The top three sectors for bonus payments are expected to be power (four months), chemicals (four months), and oil and gas (3.5 months).
The average bonus payment forecast is almost three months, up slightly on the figure this year.
The report shows that the top three sectors for basic salary are oil and gas, chemicals, and the fast-moving consumer goods industry.
